A strong community can promote new ideas and ensure accountability. It can also act as motivation, support, and even provide a little friendly competition. The power of community is undeniable and the Okanagan tech community is no exception.
Our community is strong and growing with record speed and maintaining connection through a period of growth like this can be a challenge. Nobody panic, we’ve got a plan.
Introducing, The Faces of #OKGNtech. A showcase of Okanagan tech entrepreneurs, partners, supporters, and cheerleaders designed to fuel more connection, more growth, and more excitement. Follow along (on the blog and on Instagram @OKGNtech) to learn more about our growing community and what makes them awesome.
Meet Tyler. Tyler Krenz is an Accounting Manager who handles Owner Operated Advisory Services at Grant Thornton. When Tyler isn’t helping companies operate as efficiently as possible, you’ll most likely find him outside on his bike. #streetbike #roadbike #dirtbike
We recently caught up with Tyler to learn more about his role at Grant Thornton and what he loves about the Okanagan.
What’s your favourite part about your role?
“I really like getting to know my clients and hearing their stories. Listening to everything from the seed idea to where the business is now is my favourite thing about my role at Grant Thornton. I find the entrepreneurial journey fascinating, and I like being able to get involved and help them out.”
“I think that a lot of accountants think that they have to be this number crunching person, but we see such a vast range in business that there is a lot of value we can add along the way just by identifying problems and coming up with solutions. It’s not always numbers!”
What’s your favourite thing about the Okanagan?
“I love the Okanagan, so even when I was away in Montreal, I always knew I was going to end up here. I really like that Kelowna has a small town feel to it still, but it’s a big enough city that you are able to build a career here.” #itsallherenow
Whats one word you would use to describe yourself and why?
“Hmm – one word? Colourful. I have quite a diverse background and it is actually kind of strange that I ended up in accounting. Right out of High School I worked up North in the oilfield. I moved from that to working in construction and operating heavy equipment. Then I kinda got into buying and selling real estate, which lead me into renovations and flipping houses…and now I am working at Grant Thornton” #ALLTHETHINGS
When were you first introduced to the tech industry?
“I got involved in the tech industry back in 2013. Then I moved away for a little bit, and I lived in Montreal for two years before moving back to Kelowna. What surprised me the most was how much the tech companies I had made connections with had grown during the two years I was away. It’s incredible to see the challenges that they had overcome and how much they’ve grown in just a couple of years. Some of the same companies I was seeing in Accelerate Okanagan’s quarterly reviews were getting headlines in news articles when I was down in Montreal – crazy.”
Do you have a piece of advice you can share with us?
“I feel like a lot of people underestimate the value of hard work. There are a lot of people out there that look at people who are successful, and they attribute luck to it, or they think “Oh that just worked out well for them!”. The reality is that the very successful companies are the companies that work really REALLY hard.” #werkwerkwerkwerkwerk
Who inspires you?
“I am inspired by a lot of people. I am definitely very fortunate with all of the people that surround me. There are very few people in my life who would ever bring me down. Everyone is always pulling me up and pushing me to achieve higher and better.”
Do you work with a lot of tech clients? Are they any different than other clients?
“I have a lot of tech clients. Tech clients are always a very interesting type of client that’s for sure. There is usually not a whole lot of precedent, most are boom and bust. Like, there is this idea and it’s just expenses – expenses- expenses and then all of a sudden their idea takes off. Where most of the other businesses I see are a lot more balanced and have a much slower and steadier growth – it’s always interesting to work with tech companies!”
Connect with Tyler. Learn more about Grant Thornton. Hungry for more? Meet Stephan.
Have you seen the rest of the OKGNtech faces? Follow us on Instagram. 
